Branco dwarf cichlid

Biotoecus dicentrarchus

Also known as Dicentrarchus dwarf cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Branco dwarf cichlid (Biotoecus dicentrarchus) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–82°F (24–28°C)
pH: 4.5–6.2
Adult size: 2 in (5 cm)
Minimum tank: 14 gal (54 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Branco and upper Orinoco sand flats
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

This is a tiny, delicate blackwater dwarf cichlid for an experienced soft-water keeper, best kept as a pair or a small group in a quiet species tank. It lives right on the bottom over open sand and is easily stressed by boisterous or fast tankmates, so keep company to a minimum and only the most peaceful small fish. Pairs excavate and spawn in small caves under wood or in the sand. It wants small live and frozen foods such as baby brine shrimp, cyclops, daphnia, and microworm, which it picks off the substrate. A tank of around 54 liters or more, dimly lit and softly filtered, suits a pair.

In the wild

Biotoecus dicentrarchus lives in blackwater rivers of the upper Orinoco and Rio Branco region, over open white sand among wood and leaf litter in slow, shady water. That water is extremely soft and acidic, stained dark with tannins. Recreate it with fine sand, driftwood, dried leaves, dim light, and gentle flow, holding 24 to 28 C and a pH of 4.5 to 6.2.

Good to know

Biotoecus dicentrarchus belongs to the cichlid family and reaches only about 5 centimeters, a pale, almost translucent sand specialist. It is a cave-spawning dwarf cichlid of medium difficulty in soft acidic water, with pairs guarding eggs laid on the roof of a small cave or shelter. The genus is small and poorly known, made up of secretive blackwater fishes.

Did you know

This dwarf is so pale that it nearly matches the white sand it lives over, which makes it hard to spot in the wild and in the tank; keepers often notice the small shadow it casts before they see the fish itself.

Tank mates

Branco dwarf cichlid is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.